The Bombay High Court directed Ruzbeh Raja, a cybersecurity expert, to submit his recommendations to the Maharashtra cyber department and Mumbai Police’s Cyber Crime Unit. The court emphasized proactive measures to enhance cybersecurity following a PIL addressing hacking incidents on government websites. Raja’s proposals aim to enhance protection against future cyber threats.
Mumbai: The Bombay High Court has directed cyber expert and petitioner Ruzbeh Raja to submit his cybersecurity recommendations directly to the Maharashtra state cyber department and the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mumbai Police’s Cyber Crime Unit. The court emphasized that proactive suggestions would be more effective than merely highlighting security lapses.
A bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Bharti Dangre heard the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Information Technology Consultant and Visiting Professor Ruzbeh Raja, who raised concerns about cyberattacks on Maharashtra government websites.
“It is a noble cause, but you should approach the authority,”
the court remarked, disposing of the petition while allowing Raja to work directly with the authorities.
His counsel, Advocate Ajinkya Udane, stated in court,
“The petitioner is ready and willing to give suggestions to the authorities to ensure that cyberattacks do not happen on government websites.”
The court agreed on the importance of strengthening cybersecurity and directed that the petitioner submit his proposals, which should be implemented if deemed feasible by the authorities.
The PIL had sought an investigation into several incidents of hacking and redirection of Maharashtra government websites.
The plea highlighted that many official websites under the domain Maharashtra.gov.in were compromised, redirecting visitors to gambling and betting sites while attempting to extract personal information.
The petition listed over 20 affected government websites, including:
- Mumbai Police
- State Information Commission
- Transport Department
- Directorate of Forensic Science
- Government Resolutions website
- Law and Justice Department
- Chief Electoral Officer
- Directorate of Information Technology
It also warned that new infected websites were being discovered daily, putting citizens’ sensitive information at risk.
Recognizing the urgent need to prevent cyberattacks, the Bombay High Court instructed the Maharashtra government and Mumbai Police’s Cyber Crime Unit to review and consider Raja’s cybersecurity suggestions.
This directive marks an important step towards securing government websites and protecting public data from cyber threats. Now, the responsibility lies with state authorities to implement necessary cybersecurity upgrades to prevent future breaches.
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